2017 Challenge Cup Champions2016/17 Elite League Champions

Devils complete their roster with Paul Crowder

After 3 years of trying, Andrew Lord finally signed his former teammate Paul Crowder.

Crowder and Lord played together for the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL during the 2010/11 season along with another current Devil, Joey Haddad. The following season, Crowder led his team in scoring stayed in Wheeling and was joined by current Devil Andrew Hotham.

Crowder did not play last season, but has a British passport, so is able to join the Devils this season. He split the 2015/16 season between Amiens in the top French league and Fort Wayne in the ECHL. In total, he played 53 games that season, scoring 15 goals and 39 assists for 54 points.

He spent the majority of his professional career between the ECHL and the American Hockey League, spending time in Hartford, Milwaukee and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. During his time in the ECHL, he was consistently one of the top scorers on his team and despite taking a year off last season, Andrew Lord expects Crowder to fit in well with the Devils style of play.

“I know Paul very well and I know what type of guy he is, the way he plays and what he brings to a team,” said Lord.

“He has always produced offensively and is another big body up front and a solid two-way centreman.

Lord also addressed the concern over Crowder not playing last season:

“We had a pretty good player last season who had taken a year off (referring to Patrick Asselin) and I am not overly concerned. Paul keeps himself in great shape and is hungry to make an immediate impact on his arrival in Cardiff.”

Crowder arrives into Cardiff on Sunday, just in time to join the rest of the Devils for the start of training camp on Monday morning.